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What a Waste! By David Wright         In one of his short stories, Mark Twain tells of a man who gambles constantly. One day the fellow goes to visit a good friend whose wife is gravely ill. "How is your wife?" the man inquires. The worried husband replies, "Well, it was touch and go there for a while, but I'm beginning to think that she just might pull through." Without thinking the gambler says, "I'll lay you two to one she don't make it."         I remembered that story Sunday evening after worship when Carolyn and I were walking toward the river on Spring Street. At the Maple intersection, the occupants of a car stopped and asked for directions to "the boat." Happy to oblige, we told them how to get to the dinner-cruise vessel docked under the Kennedy Bridge. That was not what they wanted. Where was the gambling boat? Thankfully, we had no idea. But our lack of assistance probably failed to deter them from their sinful purpose. When people are hooked on gambling, they seem unable to resist the temptation to throw their money away.         But is gambling really a big deal? If I want to squander $100 of my own money--or even $500--is that anyone else's business? In his personal example and teaching, Jesus commends economic prudence. When he feeds five thousand people by multiplying the loaves and fish, what happens to the uneaten fragments? Is good food thoughtlessly thrown away? No, "they took up what was left over, twelve baskets of broken pieces" (Luke 9:17). In fact, the Lord's most familiar story, the parable of the prodigal son, is about a wicked young wastrel who squanders "his property in loose living" (15:13).         Brothers and sisters, gambling is such a waste of the valuable resources the Lord has entrusted to us. Here's an idea: If anyone has an extra $100 or $500 burning a hole in his wallet, let him add it to our special relocation collection this Sunday, May 3.